


Gift Wrapping

by shieldivarius



Series: Femslash Yuletide 2013 [13]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/F, Femslash Yuletide, Fluff, Prompt: Gift Wrapping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-21
Updated: 2013-12-21
Packaged: 2018-01-05 11:15:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1093245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shieldivarius/pseuds/shieldivarius
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's hard to wrap gifts one-handed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gift Wrapping

Curses muttered angrily and in Russian met Melinda’s ears upon her return home. Curious, and a little concerned, she closed and locked the door behind her with as much noise as possible to alert Natasha to her return, and stepped deeper into the apartment.

“Nat?” she called, following the sounds to their bedroom. The door sat a crack ajar.

“Don’t come in!” Natasha called.

Melinda paused, hand still on the door, ears attuned to the odd rustling sound coming from inside the room.

“Do you need help?” she asked after a moment and a couple more muttered Russian words. She wouldn’t offer normally. She’d wander off and leave Natasha in peace to do whatever she was doing. But her partner had come home two weeks ago with her right arm broken in three places, two of those in hand and wrist. The frustrated noises Melinda could hear were borne of Natasha’s having one of her arms in a cast finger to elbow and bound in a sling to her chest.

“No, I’m…” Shuffling papers and crinkling plastic filled the silence when Natasha trailed off. Then, “Yes. Please.”

Wearing a little frown, Melinda pushed the door open fully. A mess of coloured, festive wrapping paper and coils of bright ribbon, red and green and spiralling across the mess, met her eyes. Natasha sat with her legs folded under her in the middle of it all, a clipping of ribbon trailing from her sling, tape dangling off her cast and small snarls of hair standing up from her scalp. A little box sat on her lap.

“Presents?” Melinda asked, clearing a space and joining Natasha on the floor.

“For Barton. And you. But don’t look for yours. Just… help me with this one?” She tapped the box in her lap with her uninjured hand.

Melinda smiled, because Natasha was admitting to being vulnerable and unable to do something on her own and that was rare, even for Melinda to see—maybe especially for Melinda to see, of all those few Natasha was close with.

“Of course,” Melinda said. 

Natasha gave her the smallest hint of a relieved smile.

**Author's Note:**

> http://shieldivarius.tumblr.com


End file.
